Hydrant-head.



W. ROSS. HYDRANT HEAD. APPLICATION FIL ED OCT-21,1912.

1,205,395, v Patented Nov. 21, 1916..

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HYDRANT HEAD.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 21. I912.

INVENTEIH:

WI TNEESEEI ATI'UHNEY WILLIAM ROSS, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

HYDRANT-HEAD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. '21, 1916.

Application filed October 21, 1912. Serial No. 726,989.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM Ross, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, county of- Rensselaer, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydrant-Heads, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to suchimprovements and consists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, and the reference characters marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein. Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved hydrant-head. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the same taken on the broken line 22 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the lock for the stop for the valve-handle, and a broken-away portion of the head. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the controlling-valve seat. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a broken-away portion of the case for the lock.

Certain objects of the'invention are to provide a portable fire-hydrant head for high-pressure service; to deliver from a hydrant-head in connection with highpressure service a plurality of streams at difl'erent predetermined pressures; and to prevent the unauthorized use of maximum pressure of a valve-controlled outlet from a high-pressure fire-hydrant. I Other objects will appear in connectio with the following description. Referring to the drawings wherein the invention is shown in preferred form, 101 is the body of the hydrant-head having on its lower end a mutilated flange forming lugs, 102, whereby the head can be connected with a hydrant-body of a high-pressure service. The head is provided with an outlet, 103, in vertical line with the main passageway-104:, and with four laterally divergent valve-controlled outlet passageways, 105, communi eating with coupling nipples, 106, symmetrically disposed about the axis of the head, The central'outlet, 103, communicates with a coupling nipple, 107, closed by a removable cap, 108, by removal of which cap a nozzle or hose can be connected with said nipple for the delivery of a stream at maximum pressure. The respective lateral outlet passageways, 105, are controlled by pressure-regulating valves, the body portions of the valve-case of-which valves are cast integral with the head, 101. Each of said valves has a main valve-seat, 102, surrounding the passageway, said valve-seats being in a plane oblique to the axes of both the main passageway and of its respectiveoutlet passageways. I The valves controlling the respective outletpassagewa-ys thus have their axes in divergent lines oblique to the axes of the main passageway and of the respective outlet passageways.

As the pressure-regulating valves are all alike, a description of one will suflice for all. The valve-case has a cylindrical pressurechamber, 5, formed by a flanged cylinder, 6, the flange, 7, of which is bolted in between the body, 1, and the cap, 8, of the valve-case. A disk, 9, is bolted in between the cap, 8, and the flange, 7, of the cylinder, 6, said disk forming the end-wall of the pressure-chamber, 5. The main valve, 10, has a piston-extension, 11, fitting, and reciprocatory within, the pressure-chambenfi, and the valve, 10, is adapted to be forced toits seat at certain times by the pressure in the pressure-chamber, 5. The piston-extension, 11, is hollow and adapted to receive a hollow post, 12, which projects centrally through the pressure-chamber, 5, from the disk, 9, and is adapted to guide the piston-extension, 11, as the valve, 10, is moved to and from its seat. A coil-spring, 13, mounted within the hollow post, 12, in contact with the valve, 10, tends to start the closing movement of the valve under proper conditions after the valve has been so fully opened that the impact of the flowing fluid prevents or materially retards the action of the pressure-in the pressurechamber, 5, to close the valve. Within the hollow post, 12, is a valve-case, 14, for a conical controlling valve, 15, which cooperates with a controlling-valveseat, 16, formed on the disk, 9, surrounding an opening therein through which the stem, 17 of the controlling valve projects. Afplura'lity of small outlet passageways, '18, extend from the pressure-chamber, 5, through the valve-seat, 16, their outlet openings, being'adapted to beclosecl by the controlling valve, 15.

A flexible diaphragm, 19, is bolted between the cap, 8, and disk, 9, the disk, 9, being formed with a fluid-space, 20, on the inner side of said diaphragm, which space communicates through a passageway, 21. in

and space, 22, between said cylinder and the body, 1, of the valve, with the outlet-portion, of the passageway, 105. \Vhen thecontrolling valve, 15, is open, the outlets, 18, from the pressure-chamber, 5, are in communication with the space, 2-0, through the aperture which loosely receives the valvestem, 17, which valve-stem may be grooved as shown. The valve-stem, 17, passes through an opening in the diaphragm, 19, and is fixed to the diaphragm by means of a nut, 23,'whereby the valve, 15, partakes of the vibrating movements of the diaphragm. Fluid under high pressure is supplied to the chamber, 5, from the inlet-portion, of the passageway, 105, through an opening, 24, in the valve, 10, communicating with the interior of the hollow piston-extension, 11, and through one or more grooves, 25, in the contacting surfaces of the piston-extension, 11, and post, 12-.

A tube, 26, is mounted upon the valve, 10, in connection with the opening, 24, which tube projects from the valve a substantial distance into the passageway, 105, on the inlet side of the valve, and preferably to such a distance that when the valve is open said tube extends beyondthe valve seat into the inlet-portion of said passageway where it can receive fluid under uniform maximum pressure. The nut, 23, has a screw-threaded stem, 30, which extends upward loosely through an opening, 27, in a screw-cap, 28, mounted upon the cap, 8, said stem forming for certain purposes an extension of the valve-stem, 1.7. A nut, 31, on the outer end of the screw-stem, 30, is adapted to be engaged by the end-wall of the screw-cap, 28, when the cap is suiiiciently unscrewed, to draw the valve, 15, positively to its seat, thereby locking the main valve closed by reason of the fact that the area of the piston-extension, 11, which is exposed to the pressure in the pressure-chamber, 5, is greater than the area of the valve, 10, which is exposed to the inlet-pressure at its seat. Coil-springs, 32, interposed between the nut, 23. and the end-wail of the screw-cap, 28, tend to yieldingly hold the valve, 15, open against a limited fluid-pressure in the space, 20, to which the diaphragm is exposed. It will be understood that so long as the valve, 15,'remains open, the main valve, 10, will remain open, due to the pressure in the chamber, 5, being relieved through the open outlets, 18. Whenever the pressure of the outflow from the main valve exceeds that adapted to be resisted by the springs, 32, such pressure will be exerted upon the diaphragm, 19, to close the valve, 15, and the out-lets, 18, thus restoring to the-chamber, 5, the maximum pressure, thereby forcing the valve, 10, to its seat. By more or less compressing the springs, 32, by means of the screw-cap, 28, the device can be adjusted for a greater or less outlet-pressure. lVashers, 34. and 85, are interposed between the respective ends of the springs, 32, and the end-wall of the screw-cap, 2S, and the nut, 23, respectively.

I have shown a sleeve, 36, inelosing the stem, 30, interposed between the nut, 23, and the end-wall of the screw-cap, 28, adapted to form a positive connection between said nut and end-wall, or the intervening washers, 34 and 35, to positively lock the valve,

15, open after the screw-cap has been screwed inward beyond the point for regulating the valve to supply fluid under the highestdegree of reduced pressure for which the valve is intended. It is thus possible to lock the valve either closed, or opened to permit the fluid to pass at maximum pressure, or by proper compression of the springs, 32, to adapt the valve for the delivery of fluid at any desired degree of reduced pressure.

The valve is operated by means of ahandlever, 37,. projecting laterally from the screw-cap, 28, said lever having a dog, 38, adapted to enter the several notches, 39, in the cap, 8, to hold the screw-cap in selected adjusted positions. The several notches may be marked by numbers on the cap to -md1cate the pressure to which the respective positions of the screw-cap limit the pressure-capacity of the valve. While the cross sectional area of the outlets, 18, is'comparatively small, the pressure of the fluid passing therethrough is high, and where the valve and its seat have considerable areas of contacting surfaces when closed, it is 'found that the valve has a tendency to chatter and is not properly balanced in its op-' eration. contact-surfaces in the'intervals between the openin s of the passageways, 18, leaving said contact-surfaceintact immediately surrounding the respective openings. The mutilated portions of the seat are shown at 45 in Fig. i. This provides an immediate escape for the outflowing fluid at the slightest opening of the valve, so that the valve is balanced inits operation and does notcnatter.

The maximum pressure employed in highpressure fire-service is so great that it 'is dangerous to deliver the water atmaximum pressure through a hose or nozzle carried by firemen ona ladder, without warning. and

hetaking of proper precautions for their safety. I have, therefore, provided means whereby the valve can be locked against unauthorized use beyond any selected pressurecapacity. For this purpose I provide a stop,

I therefore mutilate one of said ,0, adapted to be secured'at a selected pomt:

on the cap, 8, in the path of the handle, 37;

The outer cylindrical end of the cap is formed with a flange, l7, and is provided with openings, 48, between the respectivenotches, 39, and is also provided with a groove, ii), in the body of the cap at the base of the cylindrical portion of the cap. The stop is provided with a pin, 50, adapted to enter the several openings, is, at the same time that the lower end of the stop enters the groove, 49, and when the stop is thus seated in selected position, a screw, 51, is operated by means of a suitable key and screwed inwardly until it underlies the flange, 47, in which position it prevents the stop from being raised and removed. The chamber for the screw, 51, is guarded by a slotted rotatively mounted disk, 52. The maximum safe pressure having been determined upon, the stop is locked upon the valve in position to prevent the handle from being moved. be' 'ond the point at which the pressure-czugacity of the valve is limited to such pressure; and the valve can be operated by any of the attendants at difi'erent pressures up to such limit, but can be adjusted for pressures beyond such limit and for maximum pressure only by a party having the proper key.

By the construction and arrangement above described, I am able to provide, in compact and readily portable form, means for delivering a number of streams at desired diiierent pressures from a main highpressure supply, the head equipped as shown with four lateral outlets and one central outlet adapted for practical use being readily carried by one man unassisted.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a hydranthead having a main passageway and a plurality of divergent outlet passageways and having valve-seats surrounding the respective out-' let passageways, said valve-seats being in planes oblique one to another; caps mounted upon said head to complete therewith valveinclosures for the respective valve-seats; a plurality of automatic pressure regulating valves contained within the respective valveinclosures; and exterior regulating means for varying the pressure-capacity of the re spective valves separately.

2. The combination with a hydrant-head provided with a main passageway and with a lateral outlet passageway and having a valve-seat surrounding the outlet passageway in a plane oblique to the axes of both the main and the outlet passageways; of an automatic pressure-regulating valve cooperative with said seat having its axis oblique to the axes of both the main and the outlet passageways.

The combination with a hydrant-head provided with a main passageway and a plurality of divergent outlet passageways; of a plurality of automatic pressure-regulating valves for the respective outlet passageways mounted upon the headwith their axes divergent and oblique to the respective axes of both the main passageway andthe outlet passageways; and exteriorly located handles rotatory about the axes of said valves for varying the pressure capacity of the respective valves separately.

4:. The combination with a hydrant-head comprising a casting having means whereby it can be connected with a high-pressure supply, and having internal walls forming a plurality of valve-inclosures with the casting and provided with a main passageway and with a plurality of outlet passageways through the respective valve-inclosures, and having valve-seats surrounding the respective outlet passageways; of caps mounted upon said head to complete therewith the re spective valve-inclosures; a plurality of V automatic pressure-regulating valves convalve-inclosures; a plurality of automatic pressure-regulating valves contained within the respective valve-inclosures; and exterior regulating means for varying the pressurecapacity of the respective valves separately.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of October, 1912.

WILLIAM ROSS.

Witnesses:

Rosa A. LEDUC, GERTRUDE M. Prrz.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

